Setts



@uitrit dfaire' detriti@ffirr SELDON L. CROCKETT AND BENJAMIN T. MILLS., OF LOWELL, MASSACHU- SETTS, ASSIGNORS TO BENJAMIN AT, MILLS1 OF 'THE SAME PLACE.

,Letters Patcnt'lv'o. 76,895, dated April 21, 1868.

IMPROVEMENT .INWAM FOR GARD-STRIPPING MACHINE.

To ALL WHoM 1T MAY CONCERN:

'Be it known that we, SELDoN L.V Cnoeiinrr and EnNiAMIN A'.l. MILLS', both of Lowell, in the county of Middlesex, and State of Massachusetts, have inventedcertain new and useful Improvements in -Machinery for Stripping the Top-Flats of Carding-Engin es, of which the following is a. full, clear,and exact description, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, making partof this speciiication, in which'- Figure 1 represents a'n endelevation of a portion 4ofa carding-engine, showing the strippenarm A, with the lifting, depressing, and replacing-cam B in its proper position for the easy and gradual lowering or replacing of gne of the top-tlats 0, or for being turned backward to carryt'lie'stripping-devices over to a point out ofthe way of the back side of theengine, so that the opera-tor may get at the main cylinder, to strip the s ame.v`

Figure 2 represents a portion of the back-side ofthe carding-engine, showing an edge view of the stripperarm A, cam B, and the slide -m and jaw n,- ,witl11t,he upper pin 1, outside of the outer` llaneh'lc, as also seen.

in g. 1.

Figure 3 represent-s the back or working side of o'noof four improved cams, full size for'practice, but with an outer flange, sv, not'sllown in iig. 1 u

Figure 4; represents a centralseotion of g. -3', on the'line AB thereof. Figure 5 represents; the back or working side'of the ca'in'B, shown in iig. 1'. In this invention,- the stripper-arm A, andthe lifting, depressing-and replacing-cam B, arearranged, in relation to the carding-engine, infaboutthe'same manner as the ordinary stripping or `cleansing-machinery;

but theconstructo'n of lthe cam'B, and the'jemavnn'er of operating the slide m andthe jaw n to lift, depress, and

replace the' tvop-iiats, by means of c hepinsl',v 2,`and3, are' altogether diti'erent from ordinary top-fiat strippingmachinery in the followingparticulars: 1

In the ordinary top-'dat stripping-machinery, the top-'flats are depressed on to the s trip-eard by means of a. spring, or by the pin projecting from the slide, vor a thimble-on said pin,iilling the groove between'two ilanches,

the curves of which are regular, asfrom 1Q-'told in fig.13,e1 rcept a depressing bulge,"12, and an opposite depression, 13. the stripping-device patented by'GeorgeiWellrnamtbe top-dat is depressed by a spring secured to the underside tl1ereof. The depressing-pin `(being tbe next to the innerone) is held in contact withl the outside of one ofthe lifting-danebes, which has an. offset formed therein, to lower vthe pin, and heneethe elevated top-fiat, on to the strip-card, said elevated top-flat being pressed down bythe spring abovenamed.

In the'stripping-device patented by us,'0ctober 23, 1866, the oifsets or irregular curves 12 'and 13, shown in iig. 3 of this invention, are provided, and the pin .or tiiimble 2 of 'the`said patent fills 'theY groove P there shown,

and thereby produces a positive depression of the top-dat, as `therein set forth and shown.l

We find it very important, while the top-atis being cleaned, to save the teeth at the front side of the strip-card'or the strip-board, and at the back-side or edge of the top-Hat, frorn being injured when said stripboard is receding or being `withdrawn from ben eaththe elevated top-dat. In all the stripping-devices previously patented, the top-flats drag on the stripcard all the way out from beneath'said top-flats. This dragging action, with the depressing-springs acting en the top-dat, sol-'breaks down and injures the card-teethon the front side or edge of the strip-board, and at the back sidelof each topLflat,'that tbe card-clothing on the strip-board, and also on the top-flats, has to be removed quite-often and replaced by new. A

To obviate Ythis difficulty, and save the cardteeth-above referred to, \ve construct the outer portionof ilanch E as shownjand, when the cam rotates, thepin-Stpassesinto the groove F, between the anges E and Gr,y and upward over thel rounded projection 5, and initspa'ss'ag'e from 5 to 6, the strip-card is passing under theelevated'top-l'lat. After the pi-n 3 has passed the point l6, it moves gradually downward in the depression between G and 7, remaining in that position,y withjthe tOpiatIbearing on the strip-card while thepin passes from to 7, which allows the strip-card suiiicient time totake the waste substance on the top-Hat, and to remove it from beneath said dat. Just before the strip-'card leaves the top-fiat, thepin 3 rises on the bulge 7, and moves the topi1at upward slightly, but enough te relieve the pressure of the top-iiat on the' strip-card, and prevent any injury to the card-teethfou the front edge of the strip-card and theback edge ofthe top-flat.

Here it will be seen, that when the bulge 7 on the lanch E of the rotating cam passes under the pin 3, projecting from the slide, the topiiat,.which is already elevated, receives another upward movement, imparted bythe bulge 7,- which not only raises the elevated top-flat,` but holdsit up until the strip-card has beenfully withdrawn from beneath it.

This raising and holding up of Athe top-fiat at each operation'of stripping a top-flat, anl at a time immediately preceding the full withdrawal of the strip-card from beneatlieach elevated' top-flat, relieves the crushing "or pressing and dragging action of the card-teethionthe front edge of the stripf'card and on the back edge of cach top-fiat, and saves the card-teeth, at each extremity above named, from being bent or injured when the strip-card is withdrawn from beneath each elevated top-lilat. n

Each operation of'hstripping and relieving is performed in-snccession on every top-flat in the whole series.

Another important feature in this invention is workingthe u pper pin 1 on the outside of the outer aneh, as shown clearly in thedra'wings. And if the ilanch c,'shown `in fig. 3, is`the outer iianch, then a fourth pin, 4may beemployed above the pin 1, and in either case, such outer or upper pin is operatedV by such outer iianch, to eas'e the top-dats down; and if a iianch is arranged on the cam B, tothus gradually, evenly, slowly, and carefully ease the top-flats down, after beingV stripped or cleansed, such'a cam may at any time be turned backward to move the stripping-device therewith connected overto thefront side ofthe car'ding-engine, so that theoperator may get at the main' cylinderto strip'th'e same. Other anehes may be added to the cam B, and other 'pins to the slide m, tothe extent of their dimensions. I In all eases the topltlat is eased down, after being stripped or cleaned, with the-upper pin on the outer.- lianch and on the outer surfaceof said fianch.

Some `portions of'the outer Hauch, which eases down the top-flats, may be detached, as the portion L of the lzmch c of iig'. 3, or the portion'L of the outer flaneh le in.,the cam B in fig. 1; but we consider a eontinnous iianeh much the best, andpreferable to broken or detached iianeh'es, as thereis no liability of the pins getting between two detached portions, and continuous iiancli'es arose much stronger, that there is no liability of their being broken byordinary use or wear. V

The portions` or ends a, al, and a2 of the ilanchss, andwhich raise the pins 1, 2, 3, or more, are not so essential, but the portions or ends a3 and ci* of such hanches are ofthe utmost importance in lowering or easing down the top-ilats, as above stated. l l By the use of a cam constructed as shown and described, a greater elevation of the top-flat may be had with a cam of a given diameter, than by a cam of any other construction, and the top-Hats ca n be lowered or replaced in much less time than by any other-.known device.

The object in replacing the top-Hats speedily after being cleaned is to prevent Waste and dust, from the rapidl`y-revo1ving card-cylinder, beingeipelled from theopening left by the elevated top-flat, into the room, to

annoy the operators. p We have stated that an important feature in `this invcetion is working the upper pin 1 on the outside of .the outer flange. We have also statedthat, by the use of a cam, constructed as shown and' described, a .greater elevation of'the top-fiat may be had, with a cam of` a given diameter, thanby a cam of any other construction. In the use of flanged cams, operating upon pins projecting from theslides for elevating 'and replacing thetop-Hate of carding-engines, the flanges of such cams are frequently broken, which renders it' necessary that the broken cam should be removed, and a perfect cam put on to the stud or axis in'place of` a broken one.

Theselifting and replacingcamsare applied to a stud or axis secured to and projeetijg'from some part'iof the movable frame which carries the-stripping-apparatus, and, at one end ofthe carding-'engine the cam is 'shortdistance inside of the driving-pulleys. The inside or tight or fast pulley is firmly secured tothe central shaft by a spine or key, and is dilicult to be removed; and therefore it is very important that these cams should be sosmall in diameter that the cam on the driving-end of the carding-engine maybe removed, when broken or injured, and a perfect cam put on -in itsplace without removing the driving-pulley. -It is quite important Y that these lifting and replacingcams should have `flanges so formed and arranged that, by the use-of asuitable Anumber of operating-pins, projecting from each slide, acam ofsmall diameter .vill operate'the s lidcs,and move .l

each successive top-fiat from its lowest to its highest position, and hack again, without undue strain or pressure on the llenges, to-b'reak them, and withouttho 'aid-of springs or other auxiliary devices, which only complicate the carding-engina'render it more expensive and troublesome to keep inworking condition,- and increasethe liability to get out of order. i j p "We have found, by experiment, that 'the greater-the number of flanges on the face of the cam-plate, and

a suitableor corresponding number` of pins projecting from the slide, the easier the loperat'on'of all the parts connected,'and the greaterthe reduction of friction, and of breakingpressure on thecam-ilanges and onthe p'nsof the slide, as each iiange and each pin perform but a smalLpart of the whole operation. v

'To insure and maintain this easy'and safe operation of the ea'm andthe pi-ns, and to provide for the easy,

safe, and sure reversing of the motion o1; the direction of rotation 'ofy the cam, so that the operator ca n turn it back'faud get at the main cylinder, to stripit, at any time, we have found that, by operating the outer or.. upper pinlbe there two, three, or more pins) on the outer edge of the outer flange, all thc other flanges and allthe other pins are greatly relieved during such turning-back operation, and that the liability of breaking the flanges and the pins is so-greatly diminished that, in all these, ounnumerous cams, v'now in operation,l

not a single cam-liange or a pin has ever been broken, or a part injured, beyond ythat occasioned b'y ordinary wear, which we consider the best of evidence in favor of our improved method of operating the slide, both in thcregular forward movementsA of the stripping-apparatus, and in reversing the motion or the direction of` rotation of thecam, to turnthe stripping-apparatus back, for` the purpose described.

Previous to our experiments, it has always been supposed that an operating-timoh, outside of the outer or upper pin in the slide, was necessary to control the action et' the slide; and such an outer aneh is seen on all card-strippingpcams patented previous to'this application; but we have found, by'exp'erment', that a cam can be constructed for the purpose described, without any outer areh beyond the outer or upper pin in the slide, and that, by the use ofsueh a earn, and by operatiugvthe upper or outer pin en the outer edge, or the outer extremity of such outer laneh, the action of all the pine on all the hanches, or the force, strain, and motion of the operating parts can be better and more equally distributed, and thus prevent the breaking and unnecessary wear of the eam-ianches and the pins, and greatly economize, not only in the removal and the replacing of cams, but in the rst and in all future costs and expenses attending their application anduse.

We are therefore very snrethat, by operating` the pin 1, or the upper or outer pin, on the outer edge or portion of the outer flange c, as described, the caro, pin, and slide are easier operated; thefrietion in or upon the operating parts is greatly reduced; considerable power is saved by the reduction of friction, and the consequent easy action; that the costs and expenses attending the applicationanduse of such devices will be con'- siderably lessened, and that all the operating parts connected will be rendered serviceable for a much longer time, and much less liable to break or wear, or be otherwise injured.

What We claim as new, and desire to vsecure by Letters Patent, is-

1. We claiurthe lifting and'replaeing-eani B, constructed as shown and described, viz, with the prominent portions indicated as '5, 6, Aand 7, and the depression between 6 and?, and a flanch or ilanches, 7c, to relieve and 4 ease down the top-flats, and again elevate the s ame, substantially in the mannerand for the purpose set forth.

2. We claim the earn'B, provided with a. flange, k, constructed as deseribed,'and operating in connection with the slide and its pin 1, as and for the purpose set forth.

SELDON L. CROCKETT,

BENJAMIN T. MILLS. Witnesses:

J. B. SAMUELS, JOHN E. CRANE. 

